Is an install where I keep my files as good as a clean install? Or should I just migrate my files to an external drive and then copy over? They're already backed up so I'm not bothered about losing them.

Don't you already have your drive partitioned? With any drive (for me) there is always a C and a D. If Windows ever crashes or anything I never worry about needing to backup as everything is already on D. Programs i'll install again anyways.

For my laptop however, everything is linked on the server so my SSD only has Windows on it.

Don't you already have your drive partitioned? With any drive (for me) there is always a C and a D. If Windows ever crashes or anything I never worry about needing to backup as everything is already on D. Programs i'll install again anyways.

For my laptop however, everything is linked on the server so my SSD only has Windows on it.

Gonna love seeing how this baby flies on SSD and 8GB of RAM

I have 2 x 500GB Drives, Windows on the C Drive, and my Steam and Origin Games, and pictures on the D Drive, my Videos and Windows backups are stored on my external I: drive, I don't have my C: Drive partitioned, I installed Win8CP as my only OS.

Is an install where I keep my files as good as a clean install? Or should I just migrate my files to an external drive and then copy over? They're already backed up so I'm not bothered about losing them.

Why don't you install it on a VHD booting natively? That's how I have the CP install running at home.